Definitions for sharpen
ˈʃɑr pənsharp·en

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sharpenverb

   make sharp or sharper

   "sharpen the knives"

2. sharpenverb

   make crisp or more crisp and precise

   "We had to sharpen our arguments"

3. sharpenverb

   become sharp or sharper

   "The debate sharpened"

4. focus, focalize, focalise, sharpenverb

   put (an image) into focus

   "Please focus the image; we cannot enjoy the movie"

5. sharpenverb

   make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper

6. sharpenverb

   raise the pitch of (musical notes)

7. sharpen, taper, pointverb

   give a point to

   "The candles are tapered"

8. sharpen, heightenverb

   make (one's senses) more acute

   "This drug will sharpen your vision"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sharpenverb

   To make sharp

2. Etymology: sharp + -en

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. To Sharpenverb

   Etymology: from sharp.

   1. To make keen; to edge; to point.

   The weaker their helps are, the more their need is to sharpen the edge of their own industry. Richard Hooker.

   The Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share and his coulter. 1 Sam. xiii. 20.

   His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword. Wisd. v. 20.

   The grating of a saw when sharpen’d, offends so much as it setteth the teeth on edge. Francis Bacon.

   Th’ squadron bright, sharp’ning in mooned horns
   Their phalanx. John Milton.

   It may contribute to his misery, heighten the anguish, and sharpen the sting of conscience, and so add fury to the everlasting flames, when he shall reflect upon the abuse of wealth and greatness. Robert South, Sermons.

   No: ’tis resistance that inflames desire;
   Sharpens the darts of love, and blows the fire. Dryd.

   E’re ten moons had sharpen’d either horn,
   To crown their bliss, a lovely boy was born. Dryd.

   Her nails are sharpen’d into pointed claws,
   Her hands bear half her weight and turn to paws. Addis.

   2. To make quick, ingenious, or acute.

   Overmuch quickness of wit, either given by nature, or sharpen’d by study, doth not commonly bring greatest learning, best manners, or happiest life in the end. Roger Ascham.

   3. To make quicker of sense.

   Th’ air sharpen’d his visual ray
   To objects distant far. John Milton.

   4. To make eager or hungry.

   Epicurean cooks
   Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite. William Shakespeare.

   Such an assurance as will sharpen mens desires and quicken their endeavours for obtaining a lesser good, ought to inspire men with more vigour in pursuit of what is greater. John Tillotson.

   5. To make fierce or angry.

   Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. Job xvi. 9.

   6. To make biting, or sarcastick.

   My haughty soul would swell;
   Sharpen each word, and threaten in my eyes. Smith.

   7. To make less flat; more piercing to the ears.

   Enclosures not only preserve sound, but encrease and sharpen it. Francis Bacon.

   8. To make sour.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sharpen

   Sharpening is the process of creating or refining the edge joining two non-coplanar faces into a converging apex, thereby creating an edge of appropriate shape on a tool or implement designed for cutting. Sharpening is done by removing material on an implement with an abrasive substance harder than the material of the implement, followed sometimes by processes to polish/hone the sharp surface to increase smoothness.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sharpen

   To sharpen is to enhance or refine the quality, focus, or effectiveness of something. This act can refer to a wide range of items such as a tool, a skill, or the mind. It could also mean to make something clearer or more distinct. The process typically involves removing or altering parts to improve the overall object or skill.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sharpenadjective

   to make sharp

2. Sharpenadjective

   to give a keen edge or fine point to; to make sharper; as, to sharpen an ax, or the teeth of a saw

3. Sharpenadjective

   to render more quick or acute in perception; to make more ready or ingenious

4. Sharpenadjective

   to make more eager; as, to sharpen men's desires

5. Sharpenadjective

   to make more pungent and intense; as, to sharpen a pain or disease

6. Sharpenadjective

   to make biting, sarcastic, or severe

7. Sharpenadjective

   to render more shrill or piercing

8. Sharpenadjective

   to make more tart or acid; to make sour; as, the rays of the sun sharpen vinegar

9. Sharpenadjective

   to raise, as a sound, by means of a sharp; to apply a sharp to

10. Sharpenverb

    to grow or become sharp

11. Etymology: [See Sharp, a.]

Matched Categories

1. • Adjust
   • Change
   • Change Intensity
   • Change Shape
   • Intensify
   • Music

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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How to pronounce sharpen?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say sharpen in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of sharpen in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of sharpen in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of sharpen in a Sentence

1. Debasish Mridha, M.D.:

   Great habits sharpen our thoughts and make us great.

2. Prince Charles:

   I would imagine this issue will now sharpen the debate within Jamaica, as well as elsewhere in the Caribbean.

3. Michael Connelly:

   That's my job, to forge the blade. To sharpen it. To use it without mercy or conscience. To be the truth in a place where everybody lies.

4. John Gibbs:

   When I got to Stanford, I got to know some conservatives there through the Stanford Review, having actual conservative friends in the flesh — which I didn't have in high school, I just kind of had the reading — made a big difference. Being able to have people I could be friends with who could sharpen me and my conservatism. So yeah, that was it — discovering Thomas Sowell in high school and continuing to build on the ideas at Stanford through the friends that I had.

5. Alexander Zverev:

   I'm young, so I might as well stay on court and practise a little bit, it's the best, a five-set match. It is the first time Alexander Zverev has reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam and Alexander Zverev will face Austrian seventh seed Dominic Thiem, who beat Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-2 6-0 5-7 6-4. Nishikori took his only break point opportunity to claim the third set but Thiem, twice Roland Garros semi-finalist, regained control in the fourth. Former champion Novak Djokovic never looked in trouble as he booked a 12th quarter-final appearance in Paris with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win over Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco. French Open runner-up Madison Keys advanced to the last eight without dropping a set, defeating Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1 6-4. Up next for Keys is Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, who upset 26th seed Czech Barbora Strycova 6-4 6-3. American Stephens sprinted past Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-2 6-0 to set up a potential semi-final meeting with Keys, whom Anett Kontaveit beat in last year's U.S. Open final. Highlights from day eight( all times GMT :. Play was suspended due to fading light, with Russian Daria Kasatkina leading 7-6( 5) 3-3 against second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki. Zverev's days of living dangerously go on. Roland Garros ready for' legendary' match against Zverev in Paris. Djokovic tames Verdasco to reach last eight. Italian Cecchinato upsets Goffin to reach last eight. American Stephens and Keys on collision course after overcoming French Open hump. Alexander Zverev rocks on by living on the edge. Keys enjoys Sunday stroll into French quarters. Djokovic douses Verdasco fire, unhappy with courts. Impressive Thiem downs Nishikori to set up Alexander Zverev clash. Serena and Sharapova ready to sharpen the edge. Impressive Putintseva stuns Czech Barbora Strycova 6-4 6-3 to reach Paris quarters. Italian Marco Cecchinato, who had never won a Grand Slam match before this week, beat eighth-seeded Belgian David Goffin 7-5 4-6 6-0 6-3 to reach Grand Slam first major quarter-final. At world number 72, Marco Cecchinato becomes the lowest-ranked man to reach the last eight in Paris since Latvian Ernests Gulbis( ranked 80) in 2008. He will next face 2016 champion Novak Djokovic for a place in the final four.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=sharpen
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Sharpen
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=sharpen
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpen
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sharpen
7. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=sharpen